Sony finds itself navigating turbulent waters following the collapse of its ambitious plan to launch 12 game services by 2025. The company's recent decision to cancel nine of these projects has sparked significant backlash from the gaming community.
In 2022, Jim Ryan, then president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, unveiled the strategy to introduce these services, aiming to adapt to the evolving gaming industry landscape. However, this move was met with resistance from many gamers who feared Sony was shifting its focus away from beloved single-player experiences. Despite assurances from Sony that it would continue to support single-player games, the reality has proven otherwise.
It has come to light that nine out of the planned 12 projects have been axed. While Helldivers 2 has been a notable success, drawing in millions of players, other projects like Concord and Payback have been shut down. Additionally, high-profile titles such as The Last of Us: Factions, Spider-Man: The Great Web, and a game set in the God of War universe developed by Bluepoint Games have also been canceled.
Sony's List of Canceled Games:
- Concord (failed to meet expectations)
- God of War by Bluepoint Games
- Bend Studio's multiplayer game
- The Last of Us: Factions
- Spider-Man: The Great Web by Insomniac Games
- Twisted Metal by Firesprite
- Unannounced fantasy game from London Studio
- Payback by Bungie
- Networking project from Deviation Games
These cancellations were part of Sony's broader strategy to penetrate the games-as-services market. However, the gaming community has voiced its frustration, accusing Sony of chasing trends at the expense of its core strengths. Fans of projects from Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games will now have to wait several years before seeing any new developments.
